JPH01318451A - Telecontroller network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the transmission/reception of information between the telecontrollers, between the personal computers and between a telecontroller and a personal computer by adding a personal computer interface for connection of personal computers as well as the network interfaces connected to each other to the telecontroller. CONSTITUTION:A telecontroller 11 is used as a main component and connected to a telephone circuit. Then the telecontroller 11 and other telecontrollers 12-1n are connected to an extension 3. The identification number of the telecontroller 11 is inputted after a talking state is secured between an outside telephone and the corresponding circuit. When the device number and the information on a prescribed room, etc., are inputted, the telecontroller 11 decodes said device number and the PB signal of said information. Then said information is sent to the corresponding telecontroller via the extension 3. Furthermore the telecontroller 11 can control other telecontrollers 12-1n by means of a personal computer 21.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention configures a network by connecting a plurality of telecontrollers that control home appliances, etc. from a remote location using telephone lines and detect their status. The present invention also relates to a telecontroller network system in which a personal computer is connected to each telecontroller.

[Conventional example] Conventionally, home appliances, etc. were connected to this type of telecontroller, and the line was called from a remote button-type telephone, and the PIN number and control code of the telecontroller were set to PB times. When the signal is transmitted, if the content of the control code is to confirm that you have forgotten to turn off the air conditioner, for example, the telecontroller will issue a state detection signal for the near conditioner and respond to it. The state of the near conditioner is detected from the signal. Further, the telecontroller transmits a voice signal ("power is OFF") corresponding to the state, for example, power OFF, to the push-button telephone via the telephone line. This allows the operator of the button telephone to confirm that the near conditioner is powered off.

On the other hand, the popularity of personal computers has increased recently, and it is no exaggeration to say that every household has one. Moreover,
Personal computers allow rapid data processing and data transmission.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Nowadays, when the above-mentioned telecontrollers and personal computers have become widespread in general households, there are It is clear that exchanging information with computers will greatly contribute to expanding the use of information.

However, although the personal computer can quickly exchange information with other personal computers, it currently does not exchange information with the telecontroller. Furthermore, it has not been possible to exchange such information between the telecontroller and other telecontrollers.

This invention was made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to provide a telecontroller that connects a plurality of telecontrollers, connects a personal computer to the telecontrollers, and allows information to be exchanged between them. The purpose is to provide a network system.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a telecontroller that controls home appliances, etc. from a remote location using a telephone line, and detects the status of the home appliances, etc. A telecontroller network system in which a plurality of telecontrollers are connected, each of the plurality of telecontrollers is provided with a personal computer interface for connecting to a personal computer, and a network interface for connecting the telecontrollers, and a specific telecontroller is This telecontroller is connected to the telephone line, and other telecontrollers including this main telecontroller are connected through their respective network interfaces, and between the above telecontrollers, the telecontroller and the personal computer This allows information to be exchanged between computers and personal computers.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In Fig. 1, this telecontroller network system includes a plurality of telecontrollers 11, 1□, .・.

2□ is provided. Those telecontrollers 11゜1
□, ..., 1□ are mutually connected at extension 3, and -
4= A telephone line 4 is connected to one of the telecontrollers 1□. Also, personal computers 21+22
1...12n are telecontrollers 11 and 1□, respectively.
, . . lin, and furthermore, these personal computers are also connected.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the telecontrollers 11, 1□, .

PC interface to connect 2n (e.g. R3
-232C standard) 11, a device interface 12 for connecting to home appliances and the like as in the past, and a function for exchanging information (data, etc.) via these interfaces. Note that the personal computers are connected via, for example, an R3-232C interface, as in the past. Among the telecontrollers 111121...lin, the main telecontroller 11 to which the telephone line 4 is connected receives and inputs calls from external line push-button telephones and control signals for home appliances. , a central office line circuit 13 is provided for outputting a response signal (for example, an audio signal indicating the status of home appliances, etc.) to the button type telephone.

Next, the operation of the teleconference network system having the configuration described in "2" will be explained.

First, the telecontroller 1-roller 11 is the main, and this telecontroller 1□ is connected to the telephone line, and the other telecontrollers 1□, ...+ including the telecontroller 11 are
In is connected by extension 3.

In addition, the same PIN number (ID) as before is set for the main telecontroller 1□, and these telecontrollers 17
．． ...I in also has a different device number (ID
), for example, I T 21 ”'I n is set.

At this point, after a call is made to the relevant line using the outside line telephone, the pin number of the telecontroller 1□ is input, as well as the equipment number and information (control signal) of the designated room, etc., and the main tele The controller 11 decodes the PB signal of the device number and information, and reads the device number and other telecontrollers 1□,...nu stored in the memory.
The number n is compared, and the above information is transmitted to the corresponding telecontroller via extension 3. Then, the telecontroller performs an operation based on that information, for example, VT
The reservation time for the R device is set. When the settings and the like are completed, the telecontroller transmits an audio signal to notify that fact to the outside line telephone via the main telecontroller 1□.

Further, as an example, using the personal computer 2□, the telecontroller 11 and the telecontroller 12.
...yln can also be controlled. in this case,
As shown in FIG. 3, the telecontroller 1
The transmission of information (data) between 1, 1□, . Then, the information in the data format is transmitted from the telecontroller 21 to the main telecontroller 11 via the extension 3, the main telecontroller 11 decodes it, and the information is sent to the destination telecontroller. =7= Sent to sea urchin. This allows information to be freely exchanged between the predetermined telecontroller and other controllers. In that case, since the main telecontroller 1□ analyzes the data in the data format, the telecontroller 11 analyzes each telecontroller 1□, . . .

1n, and can also grasp the status of home appliances etc. connected to each telecontroller 1□, . . . +1n.

By the way, it is assumed that the above information (control data, etc.) is simultaneously output from a large number of telecontrollers. Therefore, the main telecontroller 11 should determine the reception priority order based on the lowest device number (ID). That is, the main telecontroller 11 manages the exchange of information between the telecontrollers according to their priorities.

At this time, synchronization may be generated in the main telecontroller 11, and information may be exchanged between the respective telecontrollers using this synchronization as a trigger.

Furthermore, since personal computers 2□, ...+2n are connected to each telecontroller 1□, ...+1n, respectively, information can be exchanged with other telecontrollers in the same way as above, and information can be exchanged with other telecontrollers as necessary. Accordingly, it is also possible to control home appliances in other rooms and the like.

Information can also be exchanged between personal computers connected to each telecontroller via the R3-232G interface. This allows the personal computer to grasp and manage the current and past usage status of home appliances in other rooms without relying on the telecontroller.

In this way, information can be exchanged freely between each telecontroller, between personal computers, or between a telecontroller and a Vertuna computer, allowing for a variety of uses not available with conventional telecontrollers. Expansion of range can be achieved.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, a network interface for connecting each other to a telecontroller and a personal computer interface for connecting a personal computer are added to the telecontroller, and communication between the telecontroller and the personal computer is provided. And since it is possible to exchange information between the telecontroller and the personal computer, it is possible to check the status of home appliances in other rooms, etc. in a given room, and to control those home appliances, etc. Furthermore, it is possible to manage home appliances, etc. in all rooms. Also,
According to the present invention, a large amount of information can be freely exchanged, and there is an effect that the functions of the conventional telecontroller can be exceeded and the usage can be further expanded.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a teleconverter network system showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a telecontroller used in the above teleconverter network system, and Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a telecontroller used in the above teleconverter network system. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission format. In the figure, 1□, 12. ...+1n is a telecontroller,
1xtL+...+1n is a personal computer, 3
is an extension line, 4 is a telephone line (external line), 10 is a network interface, 11 is a computer interface, 1
2 is a device interface, 13 is a control unit (CPU),
14 is a station line circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A telecontroller network system in which a plurality of telecontrollers are connected to control home appliances, etc. from a remote location using telephone lines, and to detect the status of the home appliances, etc., wherein the plurality of telecontrollers include: Each telecontroller is equipped with a personal computer interface for connection to a personal computer and a network interface for connection between these telecontrollers, with one specific telecontroller as the main, and this telecontroller connected to the telephone line. This main telecontroller and other telecontrollers are connected through their respective network interfaces, and information can be exchanged between these telecontrollers, between the telecontroller and a personal computer, and between personal computers. A teleconference network system.